The postponement of scheduled racing Sept. 26-27 at Belmont Park as a consequence of an approaching nor’easter storm robbed New York racing followers of seeing some star energy this week, however one standout, D. J. Secure’s champion Nitrogen, proved too fast for the approaching climate and the opposition by working within the $242,500 Beldame Stakes Sept. 25 there.
Final yr’s Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old filly, having fun with a dynamite season as a 4-year-old, scored a cushty victory in front-running trend Friday at Belmont, turning apart a quick early stretch problem from Donor Suggested to prevail by 2 ¾ lengths.
With rival jockeys conceding the result in the Jose Ortiz-ridden Nitrogen, the winner cruised on the lead en path to finishing the 1 1/8 miles round one flip in 1:48.36. Ortiz gave her 4 right-handed strikes from his using crop by the lane earlier than merely displaying her the crop by the ultimate furlong as she started to float out, as is her customized.
“I had the most effective horse, and I wished to go to the lead,” Ortiz stated. “She was touring so nicely. I used to be ready for the appropriate time to let her go, and she or he began working. I knew I had it passing the three-sixteenths.”
Nitrogen, coming off a runner-up end to reigning Horse of the Yr Sovereignty within the Aug. 8 Whitney Stakes and an earlier romping winner of the June 5 Ogden Phipps Stakes Offered by Ford at Saratoga Race Course, paid a scant $2.10 to win because the heavy favourite.
Donor Suggested, restrained from partaking Nitrogen early by jockey Manny Franco, saved floor across the flip and briefly loomed a menace, however as soon as Ortiz let loose a notch on the winner and Donor Suggested grew fatigued from her all-out bid, she flattened out over the second half of the stretch drive. Her efficiency, coming in simply her second begin of the yr and after a first-level allowance non-obligatory claiming triumph, suggests a shiny stakes future for the daughter of Gun Runner.
Former claimer Boutwell Time ran a distant third, 13 ½ lengths behind the runner-up.
Corridor of Fame coach Mark Casse known as Nitrogen “wonderful” and seen the semi-testing outing Friday as high quality preparation for the Breeders’ Cup this fall.
“This was what we have been hoping for,” he stated. “That different filly (Donor Suggested) gave her somewhat run and I assumed it was good. I wished her to do some one thing at this time, so it was good.”
With the Beldame a part of Breeders’ Cup Filth Dozen Bonus Collection, the 1-2-3 finishers earned entry-fee credit of $30,000, $15,000, and $7,500, respectively, towards the Oct. 31 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland. Nitrogen, who had already punched her Distaff ticket with a Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection: Win and You’re In berth within the Ogden Phipps, didn’t want the credit. She is the anticipated Distaff favourite.
Nitrogen is a homebred for D. J. Secure and has compiled a 9-6-3 report in 18 begins. She moved over $3 million in profession earnings with the Beldame win.
